Woven fabric with intricate design

ABSTRACT

Fabrics that have a pattern of discrete ornamental designs are disclosed that can be used in numerous applications. In one embodiment, the fabric can be made from flame resistant fibers for use in protective garments, especially firefighting garments. The discrete designs make the fabric readily recognizable that provides an indicia for the excellent physical properties of the fabric. For instance, not only is the fabric lightweight, strong and abrasion resistant, but also has excellent stretch properties in multiple directions, especially in directions diagonal to the warp direction and the fill direction.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based upon and claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent application having Ser. No. 62/251,409 filed on Nov.5, 2015, and herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Various different types of protective garments exist that are intendedto provide protection to the wearer. In certain embodiments, forinstance, the protective garments are designed to provide protectionfrom heat and flame so as to prevent burn injuries. Such protectivegarments, for instance, are typically worn by firefighters, otherservice providers, and military personnel. Military personnel, forinstance, wear such garments to provide protection against incendiarydevices and the like.

Such garments should be fire resistant while also being as light aspossible, strong, abrasion resistant, rip and tear resistant, flexible,and should encumber the wearer as little as possible.

Conventional firefighter garments, for instance, are generallyconstructed having a number of discrete layers. Typically, these layersinclude an outer shell, a moisture barrier layer, a thermal barrierlayer, and an inner lining. The layers are generally made fromappropriate thermally-resistant materials to provide protection againstheat and flame.

Protective garments for firefighters that are also water resistant aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,581,260, which is incorporated herein byreference. The '260 patent discloses various garments and fabrics thathave made great advances in the art.

Improvements, however, are still needed in designing fabrics forprotective garments that are intended to provide fire resistance. Forinstance, many of the outer shell fabrics used to produce fireprotective garments look and appear very similar even though the fabricsare produced by different manufacturers. Consequently, different fabricsexist in the marketplace that have different properties but yet have thesame appearance. Consequently, a need exists for a fabric for use inproducing protective garments that not only has an excellent combinationof properties but also has a distinctive look. For example, a fabricwith a distinctive look would be easily recognized by those purchasingthe garments and those who wear and are protected by the garments. Byhaving a distinctive look, purchasers and wearers can instantlydetermine the origination of the fabric and the quality of the fabric.By recognizing the appearance of the fabric, for instance, a firefightercan know the fire resistant properties of the fabric, the waterresistant properties of the fabric, and the durability of the fabric.Understanding the fabric quality provides the purchaser and the wearerwith confidence that the garment will withstand the harsh environmentsto which it will be subjected.

SUMMARY

In general, the present disclosure is directed to a distinctlyrecognizable fabric and to products made from the fabric. In accordancewith the present disclosure, the fabric includes at least two differenttypes of yarns that, when woven together, form a pattern of discreteornamental designs within the fabric. The fabric can be used in numerousapplications, including use as an upholstery fabric, a weather resistantfabric to produce outdoor awnings, a fabric for producing clothing, andthe like.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to flame resistantgarments that are made from a flame resistant fabric. The flameresistant garment, for instance, may comprise any protective garmentdesigned to protect a wearer from exposure to heat and/or flame. In oneembodiment, for instance, the protective garment may comprise a firemanturnout coat, trousers worn by firemen, or any other garment worn byfirefighters. In an alternative embodiment, the garment may compriseapparel worn by military personnel. For instance, the garment maycomprise a bomb suit, tank uniform, other combat garments, a flightjacket, or the like. In still another embodiment, the garment maycomprise industrial workwear or may comprise a protective chemical suit.The garment may comprise a shirt, a coat, a jacket, trousers, gloves,boots, protective headgear such as a hat, or the like.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a flameresistant garment for turnout coats for firemen comprising a wovenfabric shaped to cover at least a portion of a wearer's body. The wovenfabric comprises background yarns woven with figure yarns. Thebackground yarns and the figure yarns extend in both the warp directionand the fill direction. The background yarns and the figure yarns form arepeat within the fabric. Within the repeat, the figure yarns form apattern of discrete ornamental designs. As used herein, a pattern ofdiscrete ornamental designs can comprise discrete geometric designsand/or discrete fanciful designs. The discrete ornamental designs can beconnected together in at least one direction, such as in the lengthwisedirection, the widthwise direction, and/or the diagonal direction. Apattern of discrete ornamental designs, however, excludes a grid patternformed by simply intersecting warp yarns and fill yarns in a fabric.

In one embodiment, the repeat formed by the background yarns and thefigure yarns is formed from about 6 yarns to about 20 yarns in the warpdirection that intersect with about 6 yarns to about 20 yarns in thefill direction. For instance, in one embodiment, the repeat is formedfrom about 7 to about 9 yarns in the warp direction that intersect withabout 7 to about 9 yarns in the fill direction.

Although the present disclosure is not limited to any particular yarnconfiguration, in one embodiment, the background yarns and the figureyarns are positioned in the fabric in the warp direction at a ratiowithin the repeat of from about 3:1 to about 1:3. Similarly, thebackground yarns and the figure yarns can be positioned in the fabric inthe fill direction also at a ratio within the repeat of from about 3:1to about 1:3. In one particular embodiment, the background yarns and thefigure yarns are present at a ratio in the warp direction and in thefill direction of 1:1.

In one particular embodiment, the pattern of discrete ornamental designscomprises a spiral pattern. The spiral pattern within the garment caninclude spiral figures. The spiral figures can form rows, columns and/ordiagonals in the fabric. In one embodiment, the spiral figures can beinterconnected along a diagonal direction while not being connected inthe warp direction or the fill direction. Each spiral figure can have awidth of from about 2 mm to about 6 mm and can have a length of fromabout 2 mm to about 6 mm.

The background yarns and the figure yarns can be made from any suitablematerial. In general, the background yarns are visually different fromthe figure yarns. In one embodiment, the woven fabric is made from atleast 75% by weight flame resistant fibers. For instance, at least oneof the background yarns or the figure yarns can be comprised of aramidfibers, such as para-aramid fibers, meta-aramid fibers, or mixturesthereof. In one particular embodiment, the figure yarns may contain PBI,PBO, or mixtures thereof. The PBI fibers, PBO fibers, or mixtures can bepresent in the fibers in an amount from about 30% to about 60% byweight.

In one embodiment, the woven fabric includes a combination of filamentyarns and spun yarns. For instance, the figure yarns may comprise thespun yarns and the background yarns may comprise the filament yarns orvice versus. In one embodiment, the woven fabric contains FR cellulosefibers.

The woven fabric, when used for fire resistant applications especially,can have a basis weight of from about 3 osy to about 9 osy. The wovenfabric can have any suitable weave, such as a twill-like weave.

In addition to being directed to a flame resistant garment, the presentdisclosure is also directed to a fabric as described above. The fabriccan be used in almost a limitless variety of applications.

Other features and aspects of the present disclosure are discussed ingreater detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including thebest mode thereof to one skilled in the art, is set forth moreparticularly in the remainder of the specification, including referenceto the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a protective garmentmade in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the garment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of trousers made inaccordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a coatshowing a design as embodied by a fabric used to construct the coat;

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of trousersshowing the design illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one side of a fabric that embodiesthe design as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of one side of a fabric that embodies the designillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an opposite side of the fabric that embodiesthe design illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5; and

FIG. 9 is a diagram representing one embodiment of a fabric made inaccordance with the present disclosure.

Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification anddrawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features orelements of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that thepresent discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, andis not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the presentdisclosure.

In general, the present disclosure is directed to a fabric that can havea distinctive look. In addition to being capable of having a distinctlook, the fabric also has excellent overall properties, especiallystretch properties in multiple directions. Fabrics made according to thepresent disclosure can be used in numerous and diverse applications. Forinstance, the fabrics can be used to produce articles of clothing, canbe used as upholstery fabrics, and/or can be used in any functional ornon-functional applications.

In one embodiment, the fabric can be used to produce protectivegarments, especially garments that provide heat and flame resistance toa wearer. For example, the fabric can contain flame resistant fibers,such as inherently flame resistant fibers or fibers that have beentreated with a flame retardant.

As will be explained in greater detail below, fabrics of the presentdisclosure are formed from background yarns and figure yarns. Thebackground yarns and figure yarns form a repeat within the fabric.Within the repeat, the figure yarns form a pattern of discreteornamental designs. As used herein, a pattern of discrete ornamentaldesigns is to be distinguished from a simple grid pattern in which thegrids are not discrete in that they are not separated from one another.The fabric of the present disclosure may not only possess a uniqueappearance, but also possesses an excellent combination of properties.For instance, the fabric can be made with excellent strength propertiesin combination with excellent tactile characteristics. The fabric can bevery strong while also having a soft hand and being very flexible. Ofparticular advantage, the fabric can be woven with a unique weavedesign, such as a diamond twill weave, that produces excellent stretchproperties in multiple directions, especially in directions diagonal tothe warp direction and the fill direction.

As described above, various protective garments may be made inaccordance with the present disclosure. The protective garments include,for instance, footwear, trousers, jackets, coats, shirts, headwear,gloves, and the like. The fabric can also be used to construct one-piecejumpsuits, which may be well suited for use in industrial settings.

The garments can be constructed so as to be worn in all types ofenvironments and can be worn by people with different occupations. Inone embodiment, the garment may comprise a military garment, such as abattledress uniform. The garment may also comprise various othermilitary apparel, such as flight suits, military jackets, militaryparkas, and the like.

In one embodiment, the fabric may be used to construct a garment worn byfirefighters. For instance, referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of afireman turnout coat 10 constructed in accordance with the presentdisclosure is illustrated. Garment 10 includes a relatively tough outershell 12 having a liner assembly 14 located therein. Outer shell 12 andliner assembly 14 together function to protect a wearer from heat andflame such as may be encountered during firefighting activities.

In the illustrated embodiment, liner assembly 14 is constructed as aseparate unit that may be removed from outer shell 12. A zipper 16 isprovided for removably securing liner assembly 14 to outer shell 12. Itshould be appreciated, however, that other suitable means of attachment,including a more permanent type of attachment such as stitches, may alsobe used between liner assembly 14 and outer shell 12.

The construction of protective garment 10 is more particularlyillustrated in FIG. 2. As shown, liner assembly 14 includes a pluralityof material layers quilted together. The outermost layers, i.e. lininglayers 20 and 22, are connected together about their respectiveperipheries to form an inner cavity. A thermal barrier layer 24 and amoisture barrier layer 26 are located within the inner cavity, as shown.Typically, lining layer 20 will be adjacent the wearers body during use,whereas lining layer 22 will be adjacent outer shell 12.

Thermal barrier layer 24 can be made from various materials. Forinstance, an aramid felt, such as a felt produced from NOMEX fibersobtained from DuPont can be used. The felt functions as an insulator toinhibit transfer of heat from the ambient-environment to the wearer.

Moisture barrier 26 is preferably a suitable polymeric membrane that isimpermeable to liquid water but is permeable to water vapor. Moisturebarrier layer 26 is designed to prevent water contacting the exteriorsurface of garment 10 from reaching the wearer while at the same timepermitting the escape of perspiration from the wearer.

In the embodiment described above, the fireman turnout coat 10 includesmultiple layers. In other embodiments, however, it should be understoodthat a coat or jacket made in accordance with the present disclosure mayinclude a single layer or may include an outer shell attached to aliner. For example, wildland firefighter garments are typically one ortwo layers.

Referring to FIG. 3, a pair of trousers made in accordance with thepresent disclosure is shown. The trousers 40 as shown in FIG. 3 can beused in conjunction with the turnout coat 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. Thetrousers 40 also include an outer shell 12 made from the fabric of thepresent disclosure.

The outer shell 12 and/or the lining fabric 20 can be made from thefabric of the present disclosure. In the embodiments illustrated in thefigures, the outer shell 12 is made from a fabric in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 6-10, one embodiment of a fabric 50 made inaccordance with the present disclosure is shown in greater detail. FIGS.6 and 7 illustrate one side of the fabric, while FIG. 8 illustrates anopposite side of the fabric. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the fabric50 in order to better illustrate the appearance of the fabric.

As shown in FIGS. 6-8 and 10, the fabric 50 includes a pattern ofdiscrete ornamental designs 52 that are imposed on a background 54. Inthe embodiment illustrated in the figures, the discrete ornamentaldesigns 52 comprise spiral figures. It should be understood, however,that in other embodiments the discrete ornamental designs may have othershapes. For instance, the ornamental design may comprise squares,arrowheads, triangles, other polygons, circles, ovals, and the like. Inother embodiments, the ornamental designs may comprise a linear design,such as a linear figure that has angular portions such that the overalldesign appears to zigzag or have a labyrinth-type configuration. In analternative embodiment, the discrete ornamental design may have theappearance of a key, such as a Greek key.

In order to form the pattern of ornamental designs as shown in FIGS.6-10, the fabric contains figure yarns and background yarns that havebeen woven together. In order for the ornamental designs to be visible,the figure yarns have at least one property that is in contrast to thebackground yarns. For instance, in one embodiment, the figure yarns canhave a different color than the background yarns. Alternatively, thefigure yarns may have a different texture than the background yarns. Instill another embodiment, the figure yarns and background yarns can havea different shade or other different color characteristic.

The fabric can contain a single figure yarn and a single backgroundyarn. Alternatively, the fabric may contain different types of figureyarns and different types of background yarns. For instance, the fabricmay include a single figure yarn and a plurality of different types ofbackground yarns. Alternatively, the fabric may contain a plurality offigure yarns and only a single type of background yarn. The type offigure yarn and background yarn can be varied by varying onecharacteristic of the yarn, such as the fibers used to produce the yarnand/or the color of the yarn.

In constructing the fabric 50, the figure yarns and the background yarnsare woven together to form a repeat within the fabric. The repeat may beconsistent over the entire surface of the fabric or may only occur atcertain locations within the fabric. Within the repeat, the figure yarnsand the background yarns form the pattern of the ornamental designs.

In general, within the repeat, the figure yarns extend in both the warpdirection and the fill direction and the background yarns also extend inboth the warp direction and the fill direction. The repeat can be formedfrom as little as 6 yarns in both the warp direction and the filldirection and as many as 100 yarns in both the warp direction and thefill direction. In one embodiment, for instance, the repeat is formedusing at least 6 yarns, such as at least 7 yarns, such as at least 8yarns, such as at least 9 yarns, such as at least 10 yarns, in the warpdirection and is formed from at least about 6 yarns, such as at leastabout 7 yarns, such as at least about 8 yarns, such as at least about 9yarns, such as at least about 10 yarns in the fill direction. The repeatcan be formed from less than about 80 yarns, such as less than about 60yarns, such as less than about 40 yarns, such as less than about 20yarns, such as less than about 15 yarns, such as less than about 14yarns, such as less than about 13 yarns, such as less than about 12yarns, such as less than about 11 yarns in the warp direction and in thefill direction.

In one particular embodiment, the repeat is formed from about 7 to about9 yarns in the warp direction that intersect with about 7 to about 9yarns in the fill direction. The warp yarns and the fill yarns withinthe repeat comprise the figure yarns and the background yarns.

The ratio between the figure yarns and the background yarns within therepeat of the fabric can vary depending upon many factors, including thetype of yarns being used and the type of ornamental design beingincorporated into the fabric. In one embodiment, for instance, thebackground yarns and the figure yarns are positioned in the fabric inthe warp direction at a ratio within the repeat of from about 3:1 toabout 1:3. Similarly, the background yarns and the figure yarns can bepositioned in the fabric in the fill direction at a ratio within therepeat of from about 3:1 to about 1:3. The above ratio can refer to onetype of figure yarn in relation to all of the background yarn, can referto one figure yarn in relation to one background yarn, or can refer toall of the figure yarns in relation to all of the background yarns. Inone particular embodiment, within the repeat, the background yarns andthe figure yarns are present in a ratio in the warp direction of 1:1 andare present at a ratio in the fill direction of 1:1.

The ornamental discrete designs formed in the pattern contained withinthe fabric repeat can be completely separated from each other or can beinterconnected. If interconnected, the ornamental designs, in oneembodiment, are only connected along three sides, such as only along twosides, such as only along one side.

Referring to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 6-10, as describedabove, the ornamental design comprises a pattern of spiral figures. Inthe embodiment illustrated, the ornamental designs form columns and formrows within the fabric. In other embodiments, however, the ornamentaldesigns may be offset such that the designs only appear in rows or onlyappear in columns. In still another embodiment, the pattern ofornamental designs may look random such that the ornamental designs donot line up in columns or in rows.

The pattern of ornamental designs shown in FIGS. 6-10 also formdiagonals within the fabric. In fact, the spiral figures areinterconnected along a diagonal direction while not being connected inthe warp direction or the fill direction. In other embodiments, however,the ornamental designs may be connected only along the warp direction,only along the fill direction, or may be interconnected along at leasttwo directions comprising the warp direction, the fill direction, andthe diagonal direction.

Each individual ornamental design may vary in dimension depending uponthe particular application and the desired result. In one embodiment,however, each ornamental design may have a width of from about 2 mm toabout 6 mm and may have a length of from about 2 mm to about 6 mm. Forinstance, each spiral figure may have a width of from about 3 mm toabout 5 mm and may have a length of from about 3 mm to about 5 mm.

Referring to FIG. 9, one embodiment of a weave that may be used in orderto form the fabric 50 as shown in FIGS. 6-10 is illustrated in greaterdetail. As shown, the fabric 50 is formed from figure yarns 56 andbackground yarns 58. In the embodiment illustrated, the figure yarns andthe background yarns are in a 1:1 ratio in the warp direction and are ina 1:1 ratio in the fill direction. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG.9, the weave repeat is 8 warp yarns×8 fill yarns. The yarns are woven ina twill-like weave, such as a diamond twill weave, that forms thediscrete ornamental designs 52 which comprise, in this embodiment,spiral figures.

The figure yarns 56 and the background yarns 58 can be made from variousdifferent materials depending upon the particular application. Forinstance, when producing garments, such as shirts, jackets, and thelike, the yarns can contain natural fibers, synthetic fibers, ormixtures thereof. For instance, the yarns can contain cotton fibers,rayon fibers, nylon fibers, nylon filaments, polyester fibers, polyesterfilaments, acrylic fibers, acrylic filaments, modacrylic fibers,modacrylic filaments, and mixtures thereof.

When the fabric is used to form protective garments, the yarns cancontain flame resistant materials. For instance, the background yarnsand the figure yarns can contain FR cellulose fibers, FR cellulosefilaments, para-aramid fibers, para-aramid filaments, meta-aramidfibers, meta-aramid filaments, polybenzimidazole (PBI) fibers, PBIfilaments, poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO) fibers, PBO filaments,and the like. FR cellulose fibers include FR viscose fibers including FRviscose filaments.

The background yarns and the figure yarns can contain the same materialsor can contain different materials. In addition, the background yarnsand the figure yarns can both be spun yarns, can both be multifilamentyarns, can both be monofilament yarns, or can be mixtures thereof. Forinstance, the background yarns can be spun yarns while the figure yarnscan be filament yarns and vice versus. In yet another embodiment, thefigure yarns may comprise a combination of multifilament yarns andstretch broken yarns, while the background yarns may comprise spun yarnsand vice versus.

In one embodiment, especially when producing flame resistant fabrics foruse in firefighter garments, the fabric contains spun yarns incombination with filament yarns. As described above, the figure yarnsmay comprise filament yarns while the background yarns may comprise spunyarns or alternatively the background yarns may comprise filament yarnsand the figure yarns may comprise spun yarns.

The filament yarns may be made from an inherently flame resistantmaterial. For example, the filament yarns may be made from an aramidfilament, such as a para-aramid filament or a meta-aramid filament. Theuse of a para-aramid filament yarn increases the strength of the fabricwhile also providing excellent flame resistant properties. In oneembodiment, the filament yarns may comprise a combination of para-aramidfilaments and meta-aramid filaments. In still another embodiment, thefabric may contain filament yarns comprising para-aramid filaments andother filament yarns comprising meta-aramid filaments.

In other embodiments, the filament yarns may be made from other flameresistant materials. For instance, the filament yarns may be made frompoly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole fibers (PBO fibers), and/or FR cellulosefibers, such as FR viscose filament fibers. In one embodiment, thefilament yarns can comprise a blend of two or more of the abovematerials including aramid filaments. In addition, the filament yarnsmay contain other filaments, such as nylon filaments, polyesterfilaments, or the like. For example, nylon filaments, polyesterfilaments, or other non-inherently flame resistant synthetic filamentsmay be present in an amount up to about 20% by weight, such as up to anamount of 15% by weight, such as up to an amount of 10% by weight.

When the filament yarns contain aramid filaments, such as para-aramidfilaments, meta-aramid filaments, or mixtures thereof, the filaments cancontain the aramid filaments in an amount of greater than 50% by weight,such as greater than 60% by weight, such as greater than 70% by weight,such as greater than 80% by weight, such as greater than 90% by weight.In one embodiment, the filament yarns are made entirely from aramidfilaments. In an alternative embodiment, the filament yarns may containrelatively minor amounts of aramid filaments, such as in amounts lessthan 10% by weight, such as in amounts less than 8% by weight, such asin amounts less than about 6% by weight.

When containing FR cellulose and aramid filaments, the yarns may containFR cellulose in an amount up to about 10% by weight, such as up to about20% by weight, such as up to about 30% by weight, such as up to about40% by weight, such as up to about 50% by weight, such as up to about60% by weight, such as up to about 70% by weight. In one embodiment, thefilament yarns may be made exclusively from FR cellulose filaments ormay contain FR cellulose filaments in an amount greater than 95% byweight.

The filament yarns may be combined with spun yarns or the fabric can bemade exclusively of spun yarns. The spun yarns, in one embodiment, maycontain polybenzimidazole fibers alone or in combination with otherfibers. For example, in one embodiment, the spun yarns may containpolybenzimidazole fibers in combination with aramid fibers, such aspara-aramid fibers, meta-aramid fibers, or mixtures thereof.

Instead of or in addition to containing polybenzimidazole fibers, thespun yarns may contain aramid fibers as described above, modacrylicfibers, preoxidized carbon fibers, melamine fibers, polyamide imidefibers, polyimide fibers, and mixtures thereof.

In one particular embodiment, the spun yarns contain polybenzimidazolefibers in an amount greater than about 30% by weight, such as in anamount greater than about 40% by weight. The polybenzimidazole fibersmay be present in the spun yarns in an amount less than about 60% byweight, such as in an amount less than about 55% by weight. Theremainder of the fibers, on the other hand, may comprise para-aramidfibers and/or meta-aramid fibers.

In one embodiment, various other fibers may be present in the spunyarns. For instance, the spun yarns may contain fibers treated with afire retardant, such as FR cellulose fibers. Such fibers can include FRcotton, FR rayon, FR acetate, FR triacetate, and FR lyocell, and thelike. The spun yarns may also contain nylon fibers if desired, such asantistatic fibers.

In one embodiment, the spun yarns contain aramid fibers, such aspara-aramid fibers, meta-aramid fibers, or mixtures thereof. In oneembodiment, the spun yarns contain aramid fibers in an amount greaterthan 50% by weight, such as in an amount greater than 60% by weight,such as in an amount greater than 70% by weight, such as in an amountgreater than 80% by weight, such as in an amount greater than 90% byweight, such as in an amount of 100% by weight. The spun yarns may alsocontain the aramid fibers in an amount less than 70% by weight, such asless than 60% by weight, such as less than 50% by weight, such as lessthan 40% by weight, such as less than 30% by weight, such as less than20% by weight, such as less than 10% by weight.

In one embodiment, the spun yarns can contain PBO fibers. PBO fibers canbe present in the spun yarns in an amount from about 10% to 100% byweight. In one embodiment, the spun yarns contain PBO fibers in anamount greater than about 30% by weight, such as in an amount greaterthan about 40% by weight. The PBO fibers may be present in the spunyarns in an amount less than about 60% by weight, such as in an amountless than about 55% by weight. The PBO fibers can be combined with otherfibers, such as para-aramid fibers, PBI fibers, FR cellulose fibers,nylon fibers, polyester fibers, and/or any blend thereof.

In other embodiments, the figure yarns and the background yarns can allbe made from filament yarns. In this embodiment, the filament yarns maybe the same or different. Any of the filament yarns described above canbe used to construct the figure yarns and the background yarns.

Similarly, the figure yarns and the background yarns may comprise onlyspun yarns. The spun yarns used for the figure yarns and the spun yarnsused for the background yarns can be made from the same fiber furnish orfrom a different fiber furnish. Any of the spun yarns described abovemay be used to produce the figure yarns and/or the background yarns.

In one embodiment, the spun yarns and filament yarns are present in thefabric such that the fabric contains polybenzimidazole fibers in anamount of at least about 20% by weight, such as in an amount of at leastabout 25% by weight, such as in an amount of at least about 30% byweight, such as in an amount of at least about 35% by weight, such as inan amount of at least about 40% by weight. In general, thepolybenzimidazole fibers may be present in the fabric in an overallamount of less than about 70% by weight, such as less than about 60% byweight, such as less than about 50% by weight.

When producing fabrics for use as everyday clothing wear, for upholsteryapplications, for outdoor fabric applications, and the like, the figureyarns and the background yarns may not contain fire resistant materials.The yarns, for instance, can be made from nylon fibers, nylon filaments,polyester fibers, polyester filaments, polyolefin fibers, polyolefinfilaments, acrylic fibers, acrylic filaments, modacrylic fibers,modacrylic filaments, cotton fibers, cotton filaments, rayon fibers,rayon filaments, and blends thereof. In one embodiment, for instance,the fabric can contain nylon or polyester filament yarns combined withspun yarns containing cotton fibers, polyester fibers, nylon fibers, orblends thereof. In one embodiment, the background yarns may comprisespun yarns, while the figure yarns may comprise filament yarns.Alternatively, the background yarns may comprise filament yarns and thefigure yarns may comprise spun yarns.

In general, various different weave patterns may be used to produce thefabric. For instance, a twill weave, a plain weave, a rip stop weave, ora herringbone weave may be used. In one particular embodiment, thefabric may have a twill weave or a twill-like weave. In a twill weave,crossings of adjacent warps occur along diagonal twill lines. In a 2×1twill weave, the warp yarns pass over two fill yarns before interlacingwith a third yarn. The interlacings are offset along a diagonal toproduce characteristic twill lines. In one embodiment, a diamond twillweave is used to produce the fabric as shown in FIG. 9.

The sizes of the yarns and the basis weight of the fabric can varydepending upon the particular application and the desired results. Asused herein, the size of a yarn refers to its weight per unit length.For filament yarns, size is measured in denier, while for spun yarnssize is measured as yarn count. As used herein, a larger sized yarn isgenerally coarser while a smaller sized yarn is finer. In general, thefilament yarns can have a denier of greater than about 50, such asgreater than about 100. The denier is generally less than about 1000,such as less than about 900. The spun yarn, on the other hand, can havea count or size of generally greater (more coarse) than about 108/2,such as greater than 70/2 and can have a count of less than (finer)about 14/2, such as less than about 18/2.

In one embodiment, the size of the filament yarns may be greater thanthe size of the spun yarns. In fact, various advantages and benefits maybe obtained by having the size of the filament yarn larger than the sizeof the spun yarn. Increasing the size of the filament yarn, forinstance, may dramatically increase the strength of the fabric.

For example, when the filament yarns have a denier of 800, the spunyarns can have a size or count of 14/2 or finer. When the filament yarnshave a denier of 600, the spun yarns can have a count of 18/2 or finer,such as 20/2 or finer. When the filament yarns have a denier of 400, thespun yarns can have a count of about 27/2 or finer, such as about 32/2or finer. When the filament yarns have a denier of 200, on the otherhand, the spun yarns can have a count of about 54/2 or finer. When thefilament yarns have a denier of about 100, the spun yarns can have acount of about 108/2 or finer.

In one embodiment, the filament yarns can have a denier of from about200 to 600, while the spun yarns can have a count of from about 54/2 toabout 14/2.

Although various benefits may be obtained by having the size of thefilament yarn be larger than the size of the spun yarn, in otherembodiments, there may be advantages to having the spun yarn be largerin size than the filament yarn.

In other embodiments, the fabric may only contain spun yarns or may onlycontain filament yarns. When only containing spun yarns, the backgroundyarns can have a larger size or a smaller size than the figure yarns.Similarly, if the fabric only contains filament yarns, the backgroundyarns can have a larger size or a smaller size than the figure yarns.When producing fabrics only containing spun yarns or only containingfilament yarns, any of the yarn sizes described above may be used.

The basis weight of fabrics made according to the present disclosure canvary depending upon various factors and the end use application. Ofparticular advantage, fabrics made according to the present disclosurecan have excellent properties at relatively lighter basis weights. Ingeneral, the fabric can have a basis weight of from about 0.5 osy toabout 9 osy, such as from about 3 osy to about 8 osy. In one embodiment,the basis weight can be less than about 7 osy, such as less than about7.5 osy.

Once the fabric is constructed, the fabric may be treated with variouscoatings and finishes as may be desired. In one embodiment, forinstance, the fabric may be treated with a durable water resistanttreatment. The durable water resistant treatment may comprise, forinstance, a fluoropolymer. Other treatments that may be applied to thefabric include insect repellants and/or a moisture management finish.

Many different types of durable water resistant treatments may beapplied to the fabric. In one embodiment, the durable water resistanttreatment forms a finish (as opposed to a coating) on the fabric. Thedurable water resistant treatment can be applied to the fabric bytreating the fabric with a bath containing the treatment, padding thecomposition into the fabric, placing the fabric on a tenter frame, andheating the fabric in order to evaporate all volatiles. During theprocess, the durable water resistant treatment may be applied to thefabric in an amount from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight, such as fromabout 1% to about 5% by weight.

In many applications, the durable water resistant treatment may comprisea fluoropolymer. Particular durable water resistant treatments that maybe applied to the fabric in accordance with the present disclosure arediscussed in greater detail below.

In one embodiment, the DWR comprises at least one member selected fromthe group consisting of a perfluoroalkyl group-containing substance, afluorine-containing surfactant, a fluorine-containing oil, afluorosilicone oil and a silicone oil. Preferably thefluorine-containing resin derives from an aqueous dispersion ordissolving in a solvent. Preferably, the fluorine-containing resincomprises a fluororesin or a mixture of a fluororesin and some otherresin. Preferably, the fluororesin is a copolymer of a fluoroolefin anda vinyl monomer. Preferably, the fluororesin is a copolymer offluoroolefins. Preferably, the copolymer of fluoroolefins is a copolymerof vinylidene fluoride and a fluoroolefin other than vinylidenefluoride.

In another embodiment, a durable water/soil-resistant fluoropolymer isselected from those groups that will provide the necessary water/soilresistance and can be polymerized. Examples include fluorinated monomersof acrylates, methacrylates, alkenes, alkenyl ethers, styrenes, and thelike. Monomers that contain carbon-fluorine bonds that are usefulinclude, but are not limited to, Zonyl TA-N (an acrylate from DuPont),Zonyl™ (a methacrylate from DuPont), FX-13 (an acrylate from 3M), andFX-14 (a methacrylate from 3M) or UNIDYNE TG581 (a C6 fluoropolymeravailable from Daikin). The fluoropolymers may include —CF 3 and —CHF 2end groups, perfluoroisopropoxy groups (—OCF(CF 3) 2),3,3,3-trifluoropropyl groups, and the like. The polymers may includevinyl ethers having perfluorinated or partially fluorinated alkylchains. The fluoropolymer preferably comprises one or morefluoroaliphatic radical-containing monomers. Monomers used to form thefluoropolymer may be based upon 6 carbon chain chemistry or 8 carbonchain chemistry.

In another embodiment, the DWR comprises a repellent and afluorine-containing resin, wherein the repellent comprises anesterification reaction product (I-3) from a perfluoroalkylgroup-containing compound (I-3-1) and a compound (I-3-2) containing aphosphoric acid group as a functional group, and the fluorine-containingresin derives from an aqueous dispersion. Preferably, thefluorine-containing resin comprises a fluororesin or a mixture of afluororesin and some other resin. Preferably, the other resin is anacrylic resin. Preferably, the fluororesin is a copolymer of afluoroolefin and a vinyl monomer. Preferably, the fluororesin is acopolymer of fluoroolefins. Preferably, the copolymer of fluoroolefinsis a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and a fluoroolefin other thanvinylidene fluoride. Preferably, the fluorine-containing resin comprisesa fluororesin obtained by seed polymerization of an acrylic resin.

Commercially available DWR not mentioned above that may be used in thepresent disclosure include fluoropolymer compositions sold under thename MILEASE® by Clariant, fluorochemicals sold under the tradenameTEFLON® or Capstone® by DuPont, fluorochemicals sold under the bytradename ZEPEL® also by DuPont, or fluorocarbon polymers sold under thetradename REPEARL® by the Mitsubishi Chemical Company or fluorocarbonpolymers sold under the tradename UNIDYNE® by the Daikin Company.

In one embodiment, if desired, an isocyanate may be present inconjunction with a fluorochemical, such as a fluoropolymer. Theisocyanate may comprise a blocked isocyanate that is a formaldehyde-freecross-linking agent for fluorochemical finishes. The blocking agent maycomprise a phenol or any other suitable constituent.

Once treated with a durable water resistant treatment, the fabric mayhave a spray rating of at least 70, such as at least 80, such as evengreater than 90 after 5 laundry cycles, after 10 laundry cycles, after20 laundry cycles, and even after 30 laundry cycles. The spray rating ofa fabric is determined according to AATCC 22 and is described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,581,260.

Fabrics made according to the present disclosure can have excellenttensile strength properties. For instance, the fabric can have a breakstrength according to ASTM D5034 in the fill direction of greater thanabout 400 lbs., such as greater than about 450 lbs., such as greaterthan about 550 lbs., such as greater than about 600 lbs., such asgreater than about 620 lbs. at a fabric weight of from about 5 osy toabout 8 osy, and particularly from about 7 osy to about 7.5 osy. Thebreak strength in the warp direction can generally be greater than about400 lbs., such as greater than about 500 lbs., such as greater thanabout 550 lbs. The break strength is generally less than about 800 lbs.

The fabric can display a trap tear according to ASTM Test D5587 ofgreater than about 50 lbs., such as greater than about 100 lbs., such asgreater than about 150 lbs., such as greater than about 180 lbs. in thefill direction. In the warp direction, the trap tear can be generallygreater than about 50 lbs., such as greater than about 60 lbs., such asgreater than about 70 lbs., such as greater than about 80 lbs., such asgreater than about 90 lbs. The trap tear in the fill direction and inthe warp direction is generally less than about 300 lbs. at the basisweights described above with respect to the break strength.

The fabric can have the above strength properties while being veryflexible. For instance, when tested according to the circular bend testaccording to ASTM Test D4032, the fabric can have a circular bend in thefill direction of less than about 6 lbs., such as less than about 5.5lbs., such as less than about 5 lbs., such as even less than about 4.5lbs., especially for a fabric having a weight of from about 6.5 osy toabout 7 osy. In the warp direction, the circular bend can generally beless than about 5 lbs., such as less than about 4.5 lbs., such as lessthan about 4 lbs., such as even less than about 3.5 lbs. In general, thecircular bend is greater than about 1 lb. in both the fill direction andwarp direction.

On a weight basis, fabrics made according to the present invention canhave a break strength in the fill direction or in the warp direction ofgreater than about 60 lbs. per osy, such as greater than about 65 lbs.per osy, such as greater than about 70 lbs. per osy, such as greaterthan about 75 lbs. per osy, such as even greater than about 80 lbs. perosy. The break strength per weight is generally less than about 120 lbs.per osy.

The fabric of the present disclosure can also possess excellent thermalproperties. For instance, when tested according to ASTM Test D6413, thefabric can have a char length in both the fill and warp direction ofless than about 10 mm, such as less than about 9 mm, such as even lessthan about 8 mm. The char length is generally greater than about 1 mm.

In addition to having excellent mechanical properties and optionallyfire resistant properties, fabrics made in accordance with the presentdisclosure may also display a new, original and ornamental design.

The present disclosure may be better understood with reference to thefollowing examples.

Example No. 1

The following fabric was produced and tested for various properties. Thefollowing fabric included figure yarns and background yarns. The figureyarns comprised filament yarns, while the background yarns comprisedspun yarns. The figure yarns and spun yarns were woven together as shownin FIG. 9 above. The fabric had a diamond twill weave.

The fabric contained the following yarns:

-   -   Warp Yarn: 28/2 spun yarn containing 45% para-aramid fibers, 30%        meta-aramid and 25% PBO fibers. The filament yarn was a 400        denier filament yarn containing para-aramid fibers.    -   Fill Yarn: 28/2 spun yarn containing 45% para-aramid fibers, 30%        meta-aramid and 25% PBO fibers. The filament yarn was a 400        denier filament yarn containing para-aramid fibers.    -   Ends: 60 per inch    -   Picks: 60 per inch    -   Weight: 6.00 osy

The fabric was also treated with a durable water resistant finish. Thedurable water resistant finish contained a polytetrafluoroethylenepolymer.

The fabric was tested for various properties and the following resultswere obtained:

Sample TEST_METHOD TEST_NAME UNIT 1 AATCC 135 SHRINK FILL 5X PERCENT 0.0SHRINK WARP 5X PERCENT 2.5 AATCC 22 SPRAY RATING AATCC 100 SCALE AATCC42 WATER ABSORPTION PERCENT 0.1 ASTM D 3776 WEIGHT OZ_SQ_YD 6.00 ASTM D5034 BREAK STRENGTH POUNDS 650 FILL BREAK STRENGTH POUNDS 665 WARP ASTMD 5587 TRAP TEAR FILL POUNDS 184 TRAP TEAR WARP POUNDS 92 ASTM D 6413AFTER FLAME FILL SECONDS 0 AFTER FLAME WARP SECONDS 0 CHAR LENGTH FILLINCH 0.1 CHAR LENGTH WARP INCH 0.2 NFPA 1971 8.6 SHRINK FILL 5MN PERCENT0.0 500F SHRINK WARP 5MN PERCENT 1.0 500F ASTM D 737 AIR PERMEABILITYCFM 15

These and other modifications and variations to the present inventionmay be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which ismore particularly set forth in the appended claims. In addition, itshould be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may beinterchanged both in whole or in part. Furthermore, those of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is byway of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention sofurther described in such appended claims.

What is claimed:
 1. A flame resistant garment for turnout coats forfiremen comprising: a woven fabric shaped to cover at least a portion ofa wearer's body, the woven fabric comprising background yarns woven withfigure yarns, the background yarns and the figure yarns extending inboth the warp direction and a fill direction, the background yarns andthe figure yarns forming a repeat within the fabric, and wherein, withinthe repeat, the figure yarns forming a pattern of discrete ornamentaldesigns.
 2. A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein thepattern of ornamental discrete designs comprises a spiral pattern.
 3. Aflame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the repeat isformed from about 6 yarns to about 20 yarns in the warp direction thatintersect with about 6 yarns to about 20 yarns in the fill direction. 4.A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the repeat isformed from about 7 to about 9 yarns in the warp direction thatintersect with about 7 to about 9 yarns in the fill direction.
 5. Aflame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the backgroundyarns and figure yarns are positioned in the fabric in the warpdirection at a ratio within the repeat of from about 3:1 to about 1:3and wherein the background yarns and figure yarns are positioned in thefabric in the fill direction at a ratio within the repeat of from about3:1 to about 1:3.
 6. A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 2,wherein, within the repeat, the background yarns and the figure yarnsare present in a ratio in the warp direction of 1:1 and are present at aratio in the fill direction of 1:1.
 7. A flame resistant garment asdefined in claim 2, wherein the ornamental discrete designs comprisespiral figures, the spiral figures forming rows, columns and diagonalsin the fabric.
 8. A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 2,wherein the ornamental discrete designs comprise spiral figures, thespiral figures being interconnected along a diagonal direction while notbeing connected in the warp direction or the fill direction.
 9. A flameresistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the background yarnsare visually different from the figure yarns.
 10. A flame resistantgarment as defined in claim 1, wherein the woven fabric is made from atleast 75% by weight flame resistant fibers.
 11. A flame resistantgarment as defined in claim 2, wherein the spiral pattern includesspiral figures, each spiral figure having a width of from about 2 mm toabout 6 mm and having a length of from about 2 mm to about 6 mm.
 12. Aflame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe background yarns or the figure yarns are comprised of aramid fibers.13. A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the wovenfabric includes a combination of filament yarns and spun yarns.
 14. Aflame resistant garment as defined in claim 13, wherein the figure yarnscomprise spun yarns and the background yarns comprise filament yarns.15. A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 14, wherein the figureyarns contain PBI, PBO, or mixtures thereof.
 16. A flame resistantgarment as defined in claim 1, wherein the woven fabric contains FRcellulose fibers.
 17. A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 1,wherein the woven fabric contains PBI fibers, PBO fibers, or a mixtureof both PBI and PBO fibers in an amount from about 30% to about 60% byweight.
 18. A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein thewoven fabric has a basis weight of from about 3 osy to about 9 osy. 19.A flame resistant garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the wovenfabric has a twill-like weave.
 20. A woven fabric having a warpdirection and a fill direction, the woven fabric comprising backgroundyarns woven with figure yarns, the background yarns and the figure yarnsextending in both the warp direction and the fill direction, thebackground yarns and the figure yarns forming a repeat within thefabric, within the repeat, the figure yarns forming a spiral pattern,the spiral pattern including spiral figures, at least certain of thespiral figures being interconnected along a diagonal direction, thespiral figures having a width of from about 1 mm to about 30 mm andhaving a length of from about 1 mm to about 30 mm.